StarlaLorien

Hi everyone,

I am American and my husband is from Scotland. We've been married and living together stateside for three years. We're currently in Colorado but I graduate from college in May and we want to move somewhere else in America. We only have family ties to ND/MN and don't want to move there

What parts of America are well suited for people that both really miss the UK but can't afford to move back and who want to be able to visit the UK often for least expense?

Colorado is too empty. We don't like that you have to drive 8 hours in any direction to get another major city! So, we are thinking the east coast (as it may be cheaper to fly back to the UK to visit from there) but are really unfamiliar with it.

Any thoughts or advice is appreciated! Thanks

penguinsix

The East Coast will offer more options to get home, and usually at better prices. NY has the most flights (google the term NY-LON sometime). But it is NY and not exactly the land of starter houses. Washington DC has a pretty large expat community from all over the world (he'll find folks to watch rugby with or a pub full of Rangers or Celtic fans if he wants). Boston is also pretty connected.

But all of them have some negatives too, mainly cost.

Have you made a list of a) what specific things you are looking for and b) how much you can afford?

I'd also recommend http://www.city-data.com/forum for more specifics on certain places.

StarlaLorien

Thanks!

I have a short mental list of the things we are looking for:

1- Decent job prospects (not too picky at this point,considering the economy-he has business/office experience and I will have a degree in politics)
2- Large expat community (British or otherwise)
3- Close to or in a metropolitan area
4- Airports near with plenty of UK flights
5- Not overly expensive
6- Good place for children (one day)

I know, I know, it sounds kind of impossible....3 and 5 cancel eachother out but I'm optimistic!

I will go check out that link now....

Bob

Where ever you can get a job with decent medical would be my first concern.

Anyway...yeah, Mass/NH/CT might not be bad, some decent and regular flights to the UK out of Logan.

Shit weather though and not cheap to live in Mass unless you go western really, but house prices have tanked that they are now affordable for those with jobs but unemployment here is pretty massive. It's all relative, cheaper than housing in blighty that's for sure.

zargof

You might want to look at Atlanta, it's pretty cheap for a big city and there are plenty of flights to LHR and BHX, not sure about elsewhere though. But you might find #2 and #6 lacking.

USAGypsies

Just wrote a massive reply and it just went! *($7@39$&(:curse:

short version.... If you're okay with the cold winters, move to the burbs of Boston, MA. If you can't hack those kind of winters (like us wimps who prefer a bikini to a balaclava), then the burbs in the metroplex area of Dallas, TX.

Bob

It's been a really warm winter this year...

starky

Warm? Don't tell me they can get worse than this one! I have to move somewhere warm before next winter! I fell like I am living in the north pole. This is my first boston winter though so I am sure I will get use to it :-)

penguinsix

The DC / Northern Virginia hits nearly all of your points, with the exception of the big one--cost. It's very expensive out here, especially close into the city proper (where the action is). Still, it's quite international and has a rather steady job base with the federal government as the main anchor. You might take a gander at the Washingtonpost.com classified ads for jobs (believe it or not, it's actually a VERY good job site for Washington jobs--highly recommend). It will give you an idea of what types of positions you can find out here. Then head over to realtor.com to get an idea of how far your few $$s will actually go when it comes to housing.

Good luck.

SagenOnion

Warm to the locals.

I moved after 20 years in Southern California, where a temperature of 60F has half the population suffering from hypothermia, to Maine in 2003. The following winter was the coldest in a century and you only have to check the weather channel to see a record low of -49F on our first new years day over here.
This winter was relatively warm although it was certainly snowier than usual and I am sick to death of it right now. Mud is next then black fly season, mossie season, thunderstorms and the gradual descent into next winter



Gotta love it really,.

Bob

You'll get used to it...but it really has been a warm winter and there really hasn't been that much snow.

tonrob

We were just trying to break you in gently!

SagenOnion

Breaking the ice, as they say

starky

Even on the really cold days it was mostly sunny, days like today have been very few,gray and damp and cold. I just stay and work from home during the snow so I am lucky that I can do that. At least there will be a good summer to look forward to, hopefully.

mellybrown

Ive met quite a lot of brits in Atlanta - I guess it depends on what you are exactly looking for in a brit expat community....

and the temp hit 86 today